A new international programme to catalyze sustainable tourism over the next decade was launched at the World Travel Market (WTM 2014).
The Sustainable Tourism Programme of the Ten-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (10YFP) will be led by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Governments of France, the Republic of Korea and Morocco, with the support of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which hosts the 10YFP Secretariat.
5 November 2014: A new international programme to catalyze sustainable tourism over the next decade was launched at the World Travel Market (WTM 2014). The Sustainable Tourism Programme of the Ten-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns (10YFP) will be led by the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Governments of France, the Republic of Korea and Morocco, with the support of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which hosts the 10YFP Secretariat.
Tourism is one of the largest and fastest-growing economic sectors in the world, contributing 9% to global gross domestic product (GDP), accounting for one in 11 jobs worldwide, and making up 6% of global exports. By 2030, the UNWTO forecasts 1.8 billion international tourism arrivals annually. However, UNEP notes, tourism must be sustainably managed to avoid the depletion of natural resources leading to water shortages, loss of biodiversity and land degradation. Tourism’s contribution to climate change is estimated at 5% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
UNEP’s 2011 Green Economy Report concludes that projected tourism growth rates to 2050 will lead to an increase in: energy consumption of 154%; greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 13%; water consumption by 152%; and solid waste disposal by 251%.
Examples of innovative sustainable tourism mechanisms include those employed in the Galapagos Islands and Palau, where visitors pay an entry tax to protected areas, sometimes referred to as ‘green fees.’ Revenues generated from these fees are used to support conservation and sustainable human development. In Palau, such revenues have topped US$1.3 million annually since 2009.
The 10YFP Sustainable Tourism Programme’s mandate is to achieve tourism policy shifts and stimulate greater sustainability within the tourism supply chain. The programme aims to improve resource efficiency, management effectiveness, and the use of new technologies to promote SCP patterns in the tourism sector.
The World Travel Market, in London, UK, is an annual four-day exhibition for the travel and tourism industry. [UNEP Press Release] [World Travel Market] [UN Press Release]